Chapter Nineteen: Honeymoon From Hell

Emma sipped her pina colada, staring out at the crystal blue waters of the Hawaiian beach. She should be overjoyed to be on her honeymoon in paradise with her new husband James. But a dark cloud hung over their supposed romantic getaway.

"You've hardly said two words to me since we arrived," Emma said, breaking the tense silence between them.

James looked up from the book he was pretending to read. "What would you like me to say? That I'm thrilled to be stuck in this sham of a marriage?"

"It doesn't have to be a sham if we actually try," Emma pleaded. "This was supposed to be our chance to start over, just the two of us."

James laughed bitterly. "You mean the chance for you to trap me into this farce. I'm not that naive, Emma. I know the real reason you wanted to get married."

She recoiled like she'd been slapped. "And what's that? A chance at actual happiness for once in my life?"

"Don't give me that act. You only married me to merge our families' companies and wealth. Just like my